Contact PD/PI: Kern, Philip A PROJECTSUMMARY TheUniversityofKentucky(UK)CenterforClinicalandTranslationalScience(CCTS)hascreatedan integratedhomeforclinicalandtranslationalresearchtopromotescientificprogressanddiscoveriesatevery phaseofthetranslationalcontinuum.TheCCTShasfundamentallytransformedtheresearchenvironmentnot onlyatUKbutthroughoutCentralAppalachiathroughthedevelopmentofastrongresearchnetwork,the AppalachianTranslationalResearchNetwork(ATRN),withintegratedresearchpartnershipsincludingother CTSAhubs.Whencombinedwithanin-depthunderstandingoftheuniqueandserioushealthchallenges facedbyCentralAppalachianresidents,theUKCCTSispositionedtoleadlocal,regionalandnational researcheffortsthatfocusonthesignificanthealthdisparitiesinthispopulation.Ouroverarchinggoalasa CTSAhubistocontinuetochampioninnovationinthefullspectrumofclinicalandtranslationalresearchwhile educatingtheworkforceofthefuture,engagingourcommunitiesinbiomedicalscienceandworkingwiththe nationalnetworktoadvancecohesivemulti-centerclinicaltrials,whichwillultimatelyelevatethehealthand qualityoflifeofthepopulaceofCentralAppalachia.Specifically,theUKCCTSwill:1)Leadinstitutional innovationinthedeliveryofefficient,effectiveclinicalandtranslationalresearch.2)Developadiverse workforceacrossmultipledisciplinesthatadvancestranslationalresearchandexcelsinteam-basedscience. 3)MeettheuniqueneedsofCentralAppalachianresidentsbyextensivelyengagingandcollaboratingwithour regional,ruralandcommunity-basedpartners.4)Catalyzeinnovativeresearch,includingnoveldrug developmentandinformaticsmethodologies,withparticularfocusonbringinginnovationtospecialpopulations andacrossthelifespan.5)Createanefficientclinicaltrialsnetwork,centeredatUK,andextendingintoour partnerhealthcaresystemsthatwillbeanessentialandleadingcomponentoftheCTSAconsortium,involving participantsthroughoutafourstateregionofruralCentralAppalachia.TheUKCCTSbenefitsfroma collaborativeenvironmentfoundononlyafewuniversitycampuses.UKhas16colleges,with11involvedin theUKCCTS(includingsixbiomedicalcolleges)ononecentralcampus.Thisphysicalproximityofour academicandhealthcarecommunities,alongwithacultureofcollaboration,createsacloselyknitunified academiccommunityandpositionstheUKCCTStodemonstratetheimpactofcollaborativetranslational researchandleadershipinteamscience.Oureffortshavealreadybeensuccessfulattransformingtheculture oftheUKacademicmedicalcentertoonethatmorekeenlyappreciatesscholarship,innovationand translationalscience.Wenowplantobuildonthesestrengthstoadvancetranslationalsciencetothenext level,withfurtherdevelopmentofourclinicaltrialnetworks,developmentofnovelinformaticsprograms,and continueddevelopmentoftheworkforcethroughouttheregion.Theseeffortswillbenefitthemedically underservedresidentsofCentralAppalachiaandwillsignificantlycontributetothenationalCTSAprogram. 1 Project Summary/Abstract Page 287 Contact PD/PI: Kern, Philip A